Apparatus for filling trays with cigarettes

Abstract

An apparatus for filling trays with cigarettes, or the like, comprises a cigarette-supplying hopper (1) at the outlet of which there is arranged a plurality of vertical or slightly inclined, generally parallel channels (2), or a plurality of passages defined by equispaced adjacent rollers, through which the cigarettes move down by gravity, the width of channels (2) and the distance between the rollers being slightly greater than the cigarette diameter, provision being made of means for facilitating the cigarette downward movement and of means for interrupting it. In order to facilitate the descent of the cigarettes, the channels (2) are so made as to be swingable to and fro, transversely to the direction of the cigarette downward movement. In order to interrupt the descent of the cigarettes, the two facing sidewalls (13) of each channel (2) are so made as to be at least in part elastically pliable and susceptible of converging under the action of contrary transversal forces, in such a manner than in proximity of its outlet each channel (2) for the cigarette transit comes to have a width which is smaller than the cigarette diameter, while when in rest condition, i.e., when the said forces are absent, the width of each channel is greater than the cigarette diameter.

I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for filling a tray with rows of rod-like articles such as cigarettes in a quincuncial arrangement comprising: an article supplying hopper having an outlet through which the articles contained therein move by gravity;   a frame;   a plurality equispaced lateral sidewalls arranged parallel to one antother and below the outlet of said hopper so as to define between respective adjacent said sidewalls respective article receiving channels through which the articles are singly stacked and moved by gravity, each said sidewall including two facing lateral plates;   a respective article roller disposed between an upper end of each respective said sidewall and said hopper, adjacent said article rollers defining therebetween an inlet for an associated said channel;   a roller moving means for imparting rotary motion to all of said article rollers;   a sidewall mounting means for mounting respective lower ends of all of said sidewalls for simultaneous and identical reciprocal motion relative to said frame and the tray;   a sidewall moving means for laterally moving all of said lower ends of said sidewalls in a reciprocating motion relative to said frame whereby the articles are deposited in the tray in a quincuncial arrangement; and   a spreading means for spreading apart associated said lateral plates of all of said sidewalls at any position of the reciprocating said sidewalls such that a distance between adjacent said sidewalls is immediately reduced from that which is larger than a diameter of the articles allowing passage of the articles along said channels to that which is smaller than the diameter of the articles to prevent passage of the articles along said channels regardless of the position of said reciprocating sidewalls.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said article roller includes an axial extension; and wherein said sidewall mounting means includes a support to which each said sidewall is mounted, each said support being mounted for free rotation about a respective said extension of a respective said article roller adjacent thereto. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 2 wherein at least one of said roller moving means and said sidewall moving means includes a slide mounted for movement relative to said frame and a slide moving means for reciprocally moving said slide. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 3 wherein said sidewall moving means includes a driving bar to which each said support is attached and a drive means for driving said driving bar in a reciprocating motion. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 4 wherein said drive means includes (a) a drive roller attached to an intermediate portion of said driving bar, (b) an L-shaped lever having a forked shaped end in which said drive roller is received, a corner which is pivotally mounted to said frame, and an opposited end, (c) a cam roller attached to said opposite end of said lever, and (d) a cam mounted on said slide having a groove in which said cam roller is received. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 5 wherein said driving bar includes a row of equispaced bushings; and wherein said sidewall mounting means includes a pivot extending from each said support which is received in a respective said bushing. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 3 wherein said roller moving means includes a rack provided on said slide and respective pinions provided on each said extension of said article rollers which engage said rack. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 7 wherein each said article roller includes longitudinal knurls adjacent the respective said channel. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 7 wherein said sidewall moving means includes a driving bar to which each said support is attached and a drive means operatively connected to slide for driving said driving bar in a reciprocating motion. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spreading means includes a respective pair of blocks disposed in a space between each of said facing plates of said sidewalls and defining an opening between said facing plates, a respective pin having a tapered distal end which is received in each respective said opening to force said blocks and hence associated said facing plates apart, and a pushing means for pushing all of said tapered ends of said pins into respective said openings and between said blocks. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 10 wherein said plates of said sidewalls are flexible. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 10 wherein each said article roller includes an extension; and wherein said sidewall mounting means includes a support to which each said sidewall is mounted, each said support being mounted for free rotation about a respective said extension of a respective said article roller adjacent thereto. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 12 wherein each said support includes a pin mounting means for mounting a respective said pin for reciprocating motion therein. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 13 wherein said pin mounting means includes a respective stop mounted on a respective said pin between a respective said support and a respective said channel which limits the movement of the associated said pin by engagement with said support, and a respective return spring means mounted on a respective said pin between said support and a respective said distal end of said pin for urging said pin away from respective said blocks until said respective stop engages said respective support. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus for filling a tray as claimed in claim 13 wherein said pin pushing means includes (a) a cross bar, (b) two parallel levers which are articulatingly connected to said frame whereby an articulated parallelogram is formed by said cross bar, said frame and said parallel levers, and (c) an actuator means for moving said cross bar relative to said frame.